Variable-speed gearing.



Patented Nov. I9, I901. 0.. UPTUN.

VARIABLE SPEED GEABING. (Application filed Jan.. 28, 1900. Renewed July29, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(Mo Model.)

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N6. 686,786 Patented Nov. |9,|9o|.

C. UPTUN.

VARIABLE SPEED BEARING.

(Appliclition flied Jan. 26, 1900. Renewed July 29, 1901. (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLOORD UPTON, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UPTON MACHINECOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,78 6, datedNovember 19, 1901.

Application filed January 26, 1900. Renewed July 29, 1901. Serial No.70,158. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OoLooRD UPTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beverly, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable-Speed Gearing,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gearing adapted to transmitvariable speeds from a relatively constant source of power; and incarrying out my invention I provide a driving part, threeindependently-rotative members,one member being supported loosely byanother member to rotate freely therearound, and two sets ofpower-transmitting mechanisms, each including three elements, an elementof two power-transmitting mechanisms being carried by the driving part,an element of two power-transmitting mechanisms being carried by one ofthe rotative members, and one element of each power-transmittingmechanism being carried by each of the other rotative members.

The invention also consists in the novel details of improvements thatwill be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof, wherein- Figure. 1 is a central longitudinal section of avariable-speed gearing embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionon the plane of the line 2 2 in Fig. 1 looking from the left, and Fig. 3is a partly-sectional detail face view looking from the right in Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several views, 1 indicates a drivingpart which is shown in the form of a shaft that may be mounted in anysuitable bearings (not shown) and which may be rotated from any suitablesource of powersuch, for instance, as a motor, engine, or the like-andsaid shaft may be coupled direct to the driving member of such motor orengine or through the medium of any suitable gearing or otherconnection.

2 is a part to be driven by the driving part 1, and the part 2 may be inthe form of a sprocket-wheel, gear, pulley, or other suitablepower-transmitting element. The driven part 2 is mounted to rotatefreely around the driving part 1, and it is shown provided with a hub orsleeve 3, mounted to rotate freely on the driving part 1. The hub orsleeve 3 projects from a disk or drum 5, which is to be firmly connectedwith the driving part 1 when it is desired to rotate the driven part 2at the same speed and in the same direction as part 1. While anysuitable means may be provided for connecting the parts 1 and 5together, I preferably provide friction devices for the purpose. In thedrawings I have shown the flange 5 of disk or drum 5 as encirclingasplit ring 6, shown secured to a support 7, as by a screw 8, whichsupport may be in the form of a disk, arm, or the like. The support ordisk 7 is secured to the driving part or shaft 1 and is shown providedwith a hub 7, secured to said shaft by a key 9. The split ring 6is to beexpanded into frictional engagement with flange 5, for which'purpose Ihave shown a lever or arm 10, connected with support 7 by a pivot or thelike 11, one end 10 of which lever is shown adapted to bear against onearm of the split ring 6, and a projection 10 of lever 10 acts againstthe other arm of said ring. (See Fig. 3.) The lever or arm 10 extends inline with shaft 1 and is adapted to be operated by a sleeve or the like12, shown mounted to slide upon hub 7, the lever 10 being shown providedwith an adjustable contact-piece 13 to engage the sleeve 12. The sleeve12 may be reciprocated by any suitable means, and it is shown providedwith an annular groove 12 to receive a shifting fork or other operatingdevice. (Not shown.) It will be understood that when sleeve 12 is pushedunder lever or arm 1.0 the driving part 1 will be firmly connected withthe driven part 2 through the expansion of the ring 6, and thereby thedriven part 2 will be rotated in the same direction and at the samespeed as the driving part 1.

It may be desirable in case of emergency to check the rotation of thedriven part 2, and for this purpose I have shown the flange 5 providedwith an annular groove 5 to receive a brake-band 14, which may beoperated by any suitable means to grip said flange. To rotate the drivenpart 2 ata slower speed than the driving part 1, but in the samedirection as the latter, I provide the following arrangement: is a diskor extension mounted to rotate freely upon driving part 1 and rigidlyconnected with the driven part 2, being shown provided with a hub 15,journaled upon shaft 1 and passing within the bore of hub 3 and securedthereto by a key 16, whereby the parts 2, 3, 5, 15, and 15 are allrigidly connected together; but this rigid connection of said parts canbe accomplished by other means than that shown. The disk or extension 15carries one or more gears or pinions 17, which are to be mounted uponshafts or studs 18, rigidly secured to disk 15. The shafts or studs 18are also rigidly connected with an annulus or ring 19, whereby saidgears or pinions may lie between the disk 15 and the annulus. (See Fig.1.) The stud 18 I have shown is provided with a central bearing portionfor the gear or pinion l7 and threaded portions at its ends of reduceddiameter to form shoulders, whereby the part 18 can be firmly secured tothe annulus 19 and can likewise be firmly screwed or clamped to the disk15, as by a nut 18, whereby the parts 15 and 19 are rigidly united. 20is a gear mounted upon and secured to the driving:

part or shaft 1 (as by a key) and in mesh with the pinion or pinions 17.21 is an annular rack or gear device surrounding pinions 17 and in meshtherewith, being shown secured to a ring 21, that is provided with anannular bearing-surface 21, that surrounds a corresponding annularsurface or guideway 19 of annulus 19,whereby the rack 21 is guided j ina circular path around the pinions.

I have 1 shown rack 21 secured to ring 21 by screws 21 that enter boreslocated at the joint between:

parts 21 and 21"; but these parts maybe lateral play. with a peripheralgroove 21 to receive a The ring 21 is shown provided brake-band 22,which may be operated in any" suitable manner.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a portion of a lever 22*, the ends of the brake-Eband 22 being connected with said lever on} opposite sides of its pivot,whereby as the;

lever is swung on its pivot the brake bandcan be caused to grip the ring2las much as desired.

It will be understood that when the i rack 21 is held from rotation andthe driving- 5 part1 rotates the gear 20 will rotate the pin-5 ion orpinions 17, and as the lattermesh with; the rack 21 they will be causedto travel bodily around said rack, thereby carrying around with them orrotating the disk 15 and the driven part 2 at a speed-slower than thero-. tation of shaft 1, but in the'direction of ro-:

tation of the latter. at this time are not to be set in engagement Asthe friction devices with disk or-drum 5, thelatter willbe free tojrotate.

To rotate the driven part 2 in a direction reverse t'o'the direction ofrotation of driving part 1, I provide a drum or the like 23, mounted torotate freely upon driving part or shaft 1, and this part 23 carries oneor more gears or pinions 24, that mesh with gear 20 (or with a separategear secured to said shaft) and also with an annular rack 25, carried bythe annulus 19. I have shown rack secured to annulus or ring 19 byscrews 25, that enter bores located at the joint between parts 19 and25; but these parts may be otherwise secured or could be made in onepiece of material. It will be seen that the gears or pinions 24 arelocated in the space between the face of drum 23 and the adjacentsurface ofannulus 19 within the circle of rack 25, whereby said gearsare kept in mesh with gear 20 and rack 25. The studs 24*,carried by drum23, support the gears or pinions 24, so that they can rotate freely. Itis intended that the drum 23 shall be held from rotation to cause thegears 24 and rack 25 to operate the driven part 2, and for this purposeI have shown a brake-band 26, located in a peripheral groove 23 in drum23, which brake-band may be operated in any suitable manner, as by alever, as likewise may the brake-band 14.

In the illustration shown the annulus 19 has an inner portion a, towhich the studs 18 are connected and around which the rack 21 cantravel, and an outer portion'b, having the rack 25 offset from-the planeof the portion a, these two portions of the annulus being connectedby'an intermediate web 0; but this particular arrangement is because ofthe relative diameters of the parts, and it will be evi dent that if thediameters of the gears and racks are changed the particular arrangementof'the annulus 19 may be altered. When it is desired to rotate thedriven part 2 reversely to the direction of rotation of the driving part1, the drum 23 is held from rotation, and thereupon gear 20 will rotatethe gears or pinions 24 on their axes, and they in turn will cause rack25 to travel around shaft 1,'as indicated'by the'arrows in Fig. 2,whereupon the annulus 19 will cause disk 15 and part 2 to rotate in thesame direction. The drum 23 can be kept from-sliding on "shaft 1 by acollar or the like 27.

The operation of the parts may be summarized as-follows: When it isdesired to ro tate the driven part 2at the same speed as the drivingpart "1, the latter is rigidly connected with drum 5, as by the frictiondevices, as before explained, and as the disk 15 is rigidly connected todrum 5 the parts 15, '17, 19, 20, 24, 25, and 23 will all be lockedtogether, so as not to have independent rotation, and will thereby allrotate at the same speed as shaft 1 and in the same direction, and therack 21 will be carried around with pinions 17, because the latter donot at this 1 time rotate on their axes. To rotate the driven part 2 inthe same direction as the driving part 1, but at a slower speed than thelatter, the friction devices are not set, but the brake 22 is caused togrip the ring 21 to keep the latter from rotating more or less, andthereupon the driven part 2 will be rotated, as before explained. Drum 5and annulus 19 will also rotate around said shaft, and as rack alsorotates around pinions 24 it will cause them to rotate on their axes,and as they are in mesh with gear 20 a differential motion will occur;but as drum 23 is free to rotate on shaft 1 there will be nointerference between the parts 20, 24, and 25. When the brake is appliedto drum 23 to keep it from rotating,

I the gear 20 will cause pinions 24. to transmit motion to the drivenpart 2 in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of part 1, asbefore explained, and the rotation of pinions 17 will cause rack 21 torotate without interference, drum 5 likewise being capable of freerotation around shaft 1, as the friction devices are not now set. If theemergency-brake 14 is I set, drum 5, disk 15, and ring 19 will belimited in their rotation, pinions 17 will be rotated on their axes bygear 20 and will rotate rack 21 freely, and pinions 24 will also rotateon their axes, and as they are in mesh with rack 25 the drum 23 will becaused to rotate around shaft 1 freely. Thus it will be seen that 'ifeither brake or if the friction devices are set there is no interferencein any part of the gearing and the parts all coact freely without dangerof breakage.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction shown anddescribed, as they may be varied Without departing from the spiritthereof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. The combinationof a driving part, a retative member having a guideway, a rack guided torotate thereon, a driven part rigidly connected with said member, apinion carried by said rotative member in mesh with said rack, means tolimit rotation of said rack, means carried by the driving part to rotatesaid pinion, and means independent of the gearing to firmly connect thedriving and driven parts together, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a driving part, a rotative member having aguideway, a rack guided to rotate therearound, a pinion carried by saidrotative member in mesh with said rack, means to limit rotation of saidrack, means carried by the driving part to rotate said pinion, and meansfor firmly connecting the driving part to said rotative member,substantially as described.

3. The combination of a driving tative member, an annulus or ringcarried thereby,a'rack guided to rotate around said ring, means to limitrotation of said rack, a pinion in mesh with said rack, means carried bythe driving part in mesh with said pinion, and means for firmlyconnecting the driving part, a ropart to said rotative member,substantially as described.

4. The combination of a driving part, a rotative member, an annulus orring carried thereby, a rack carried by said annulus or ring, a rackguided to rotate around the annulus or ring, means for limiting rotationof said rack, a pinion in mesh with the last-mentioned rack and carriedby the rotative member, a pinion in mesh with the first-mentioned rack,a rotative element carrying said pinion, means for limiting rotation ofsaid rotative element, and means carried by the driving part foroperating said pinions, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a driving part, a rotative member, an annulus orring carried thereby,a rack carried by said annulus or ring, arackguided to rotate around the annulus or ring, a pinion in mesh with thelast-mentioned rack and carried by the rotative member, a pinion in meshwith thefirst-mentioned rack, a rotative element carrying said pinion,means carried by the driving part for operating said pinions, means forlimiting the rotation of the loose rack, means for limiting the rotationof the rotative element, and means for firmly uniting the driving partto said rotative mem bers, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a driving part, aro tative member, an annuluscarried thereby and having an annular guideway and a radialbearing-surface, a loose rack guided to 1'0- tate around the annulus, apinion carried by the rotative member in mesh with said rack, a rackcarried by the rotative member, a pinion in mesh therewith, a rotativeelement carrying said pinion, means carried by the driving part forrotating said pinions, means for limiting the rotation of the looserack, and means for limiting the rotation of the rotative element,substantially as described.

7. The combination of a driving part, a disk mounted to rotate thereon,studs carried by said disk, an annulus or ring connected with saidstuds, a pinion journaled between the annulus or ring and the disk, arack guided to rotate around the annulus and in mesh with the pinion,means carried by the driving part to rotate said pinion, and means forlimiting the rotation of said rack, substantially as described.

8. The combination ot'a driving part,a drum loose thereon, means forconnecting the drum firmly to the driving part, a disk connected withsaid drum, a pinion and an annulus or ring connected with said disk, arack guided to rotate around said annulus or ring and in mesh with saidpinion, means carried by the driving part to rotate said pinion, meansto limit the rotation of said rack, and a driven part connected with thedrum, substantially as described.

OOLCORD UPTON. Witnesses:

F. E. TURNER, T. F. BOURNE.

